Dissolved gases play an important role in defining the character of various beverages and foods. For example, carbonated beverages such as sodas and beer require that a defined amount of carbon dioxide gas be dissolved in the beverage. The texture and porosity of baked goods and leavened breads is usually created by carbon dioxide that is produced either by yeast or bicarbonate salts during the proofing and baking processes. It is critically important that the proper concentrations of dissolved gases are maintained in the products to maintain consistent product characteristics such as appearance, taste, mouthfeel and flavor perception.
Maintaining concentration of gases in fluids at the point of service poses a significant problem because during product distribution and shelf storage, changes in temperature can alter the solubility of gas in the product. In certain cases where more than one gas species is present in the fluid, changes in temperature and other physical parameters during storage and distribution can prove disastrous for product quality. For example, with certain beers, besides carbon dioxide, a certain amount of nitrogen is added to the beer to modify its character. Nitrogen produces very fine bubbles in the beer that create a tight, long-lasting head of foam and a distinct mouthfeel that is often described as “creamy”. While the breweries may produce precisely controlled packages, maintaining the proper composition of the respective dissolved gases in such beers is extremely difficult once the product leaves the brewery. Owing to the different solubility parameters of nitrogen and carbon dioxide in beer, any change physical parameters such as temperature, pressure etc. results in adversely affecting the beer quality. Or in case of keg beer, in addition to the temperature pressure and composition of the counter pressure gas or a dispense gas can adversely affect beer quality.
Maintaining the proper dissolved gas composition in products at the time of dispense has been especially challenging for the beverage industry. The present subject matter provides a solution for the above and other problems.